Necktie press



Oct 1962 A. M. BLANCHARD ETAL 3,060,603

NECKTIE PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28; 1960 1962 A. M. BLANCHARD El'AL 3,060,603

NECKTIE PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1960 I": II II I II n I I II l u MUN" F e8 6y P, I 9

fliior ney United States Patent 3,060,603 NECKTIE PRESS Allison Mildred Blanchard, 245 Boston St., Topsfield, Mass., and Fay Finger, 52 County Road, Chelsea, Mass. Filed July 28, 1960, Ser. No. 45,968 2 Claims. (CI. 38-71) This invention relates to necktie presses, and more particularly to presses of the portable type.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a press which will effectively remove wrinkles from mens neckties of various styles, which requires no heat or electric current supply for operation, which applies uniform pressure to all parts of a tie which are contained in the press, which is simple and convenient to use, which is light and compact enough to be used while travelling, and which is inexpensive to manufacture. Another object is to provide a press which is also adaptable for use as a trouser press and hanger.

In general, the press consists of a pair of rigid plates between which is mounted an envelope of moisture-proof material containing a bed of moisture absorbing spongy material. The plates are held together by a pair of channel-shaped clamps, and are tapered in thickness in opposite directions from end to end so that varying degrees of pressure may be applied by shifting the plates endwise with respect to each other. The wrinkled portion of the tie to be pressed is placed in the envelope against the sponge bed which has previously been dampened. When the press is to be used as a trouser hanger, one of the plates is provided with a hook by which the press may be hung horizontally. The cuffs of the trousers are inserted in the envelope and the device will press the cuffs as well as serving as a hanger.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the device will be apparent from the following detailed description.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device, partly cut away to show a tie in place;

FIG. 2 is a side View of the device with a tie in place;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken along line 33 of 'FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the press and envelope opened for insertion of a tie;

FIG. 5 is a front view, partly cut away, showing the device adapted for use as a trouser hanger; and

FIG. 6 is a top view, partly in cross-section, of the device illustrated in FIG. 5.

The press has a base plate 10 and a cover plate 11 which may be made of any suitable rigid material, such as wood or plastic. These plates are tapered in thickness from one end to the other and may be duplicates in shape but are reversed in position so that the thinner end 10a of plate 10 is at the bottom and the thinner end 11a of plate 11 is at the top.

Attached to plate 10 are a pair of channel-shaped clamps '12 and 13 having inturned lips 12a, 12b and 13a, 13b, respectively, which overlie plate 11 when the latter is in place. An envelope 14, consisting of a piece of waterproof sheet material folded to form a bottom layer 14a and a top layer 1412 is disposed between the plates. The bottom layer 14a is secured to plate 10 in any convenient manner, for example by staples or adhesive. The top layer 1412 is left free. A bed or cushion 15 is disposed in the envelope and secured to layer 14a, for example by adhesive. The bed 15 is made of a spongy 3,060,603 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 moisture absorbent material, preferably material of a type which tends to distribute uniformly any moisture applied to it. Sheet material made of polyurethane foam is suitable for this purpose.

A hanger 16 is attached to the upper end of plate 10, so that the device may be hung on a hook if desired. The hanger also serves as a handle for separating the plates. A finger grip 17 is attached to plate .11. To use the device, plate 11 is removed by pulling it in the direction indicated by the arrow 18. The top layer 14b of envelope 14 is then lifted. This layer preferably has notches 19 which provide clearance for lips 12b and 13b to facilitate lifting. Pad 15 is moistened slightly, for example by running a damp cloth over it. The wrinkled portion of the tie 20, usually about 8 or 10 inches of the front half, is laid on pad 15 and smoothed out, and layer 14b returned to its original position, covering the tie.

Plate 11 is then slid into position under lips 12a, 12b and 13a, 13b. The tapered shape of the plates provides a wedging action which increases the pressure as plates 11 are pushed endwise in a direction opposite to arrow 18. The smooth envelope 14 facilitates sliding of the plates. The pressure is evenly distributed over the entire length of the plates. The tie is left in the device an hour or two, or over night if badly wrinkled. A small amount of moisture is transmitted from the lightly moistened pad to the tie, and facilitates removal of wrinkles.

When the device is intended to be used as a trouser hanger, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the construction.

is the same except that the clamps 12 and 13 are replaced by a similar set of clamps 21 and 22 which are more widely spaced, and a hook is attached to the central part of plate 10. The hook is preferably swivelled, for example on a screw 24, so that it may be turned out of the Way to the position indicated by the dot and dash lines 25 in FIG. 5. When not in use, with the device open, the ends of a pair of trousers 26, or the lower ends of the legs, are inserted into the long open side of envelope 14, and the plates are then slid together endwise until suflicient pressure is applied to retain the trouser ends. The device may be used in this manner simply as a hanger, or, by dampening the pad 15, the device may also serve as a press for the trouser cuflfs. The device may also be used as a skirt hanger and press by doubling over the skirt band and inserting it in place of the trouser cuffs.

This device is simple to use either as a tie press or as a hanger, and occupies very little space so that it may be readily packed in a suitcase. The even distribution of pressure and the adjustment of pressure provided by the wedging action of the plates produces satisfactory pressing on garments of various thickness. When used as a hanger, this device provides a firm grip, so that the garment will not drop off but does not create undesirable indentations in the garment as is the case with many types of skirt and trouser hangers. If made to the right dimensions, with enough spacing between the clamp members, the same press may be used at will as a tie press or as a trouser or skirt hanger.

What is claimed is:

1. A necktie press and hanger comprising a pair of elongated rigid plates longitudinally tapered in thickness in opposite directions, fixed clamping means secured to one of said plates and slidably embracing the other of said plates to permit longitudinal sliding movement of the latter plate, an envelope of waterproof material having a longitudinal side fold, an under layer and an upper layer, said under layer being secured to the same plate as said clamping means, and said upper layer being bendable along said fold away from said under layer, and a pad of water-absorbent sponge-like material disposed between said layers.

2. A necktie press and hanger as described in claim 1, said pad being secured to said under layer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Harper Dec. 21, 1909 Weingarter Oct. 20, 1931 Schwab June 7, 1938 Kaiser May 29, 1951 Holt Feb. 3, 1953 

